2 men plead guilty to robbing Allentown credit union in 2007

They, and 3 others, got $67,000 in heist in which they struck bank president in head.

August 21, 2009|By Kevin Amerman OF THE MORNING CALL

Two men have pleaded guilty to robbery charges for an Allentown credit union heist in 2007 in which a bank president was struck with a weapon.

Asharif Tansmore, 36, of Philadelphia and Terrance T. Meitzler, 31, of Allentown entered the pleas Wednesday and both are scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 20 by Lehigh County Judge Kelly L. Banach.

Both men pleaded guilty to robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit robbery -- felonies that each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Meitzler also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug possession charge.

Police say Tansmore, Meitzler and three other men robbed the First Class Federal Credit Union in Allentown on Sept. 17, 2007, stealing $67,700. During the robbery, the bank president was struck on the head with what he believed was a gun, police said.

Adrian Glasgow, 32, and Chris Mason, 33, both of Allentown, also pleaded guilty to robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery for the holdup. Glasgow was sentenced last month to five to 10 years in prison and four consecutive years of probation.

Another co-defendant, 37-year-old Gregory Brown, was sentenced last month to seven to 14 years in prison for his role in that robbery and for holding up the Paragon Federal Credit Union in west Bethlehem on Nov. 7, 2006. In that robbery, police say Brown and two other men got away with more than $150,000.